Housings

ABSTRACT

Housing, particularly for flexible tape measures, is made up of a pair of side members between which the reel carrying the tape or the like is journalled, and a collar member spacing the side members apart, a gap in the collar member forming a mouth. The side members may comprise dished metal discs and surrounding rings of plastics material which rings are secured to the collar member to complete the assembly. Different widths of collar member may be employed to form housings of different sizes.

United States Patent [1 1 [111 3,869,096 Hogan et al. Mar. 4, 1975 [541 HOUSINGS 655,052 7/l900 Brunello ..242/84.8

3 a i i .242 n 1 BrianvavidflogawowleyRegs $333??? 38% 35;? 342/222 Dennis Frederick Poole, Solihull, both of England [73] Assignee: Rabone Chesterman Limited,

Birmingham, England [22] Filed: Jan. 7, 1974 [21] Appl. No.: 431,491

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Feb. 3. [973 Great Britain 5477/73 [52] U.S. Cl. 242/84.8, 33/138 [5 1] Int. Cl B65h 75/00 [58] Field of Search 242/848; 33/138 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 650.712 5/1900 Eddy 242/848 Primary E.\aminer-Edward J. McCarthy Attorney, Agent, or FirmNorris & Bateman [57] ABSTRACT Housing, particularly for flexible tape measures, is made up of a pair of side members between which the reel carrying the tape or the like is journalled, and a collar member spacing the side members apart, a gap in the collar member forming a mouth. The side members may comprise dished metal discs and surrounding rings of plastics material which rings are secured to the collar member to complete the assembly. Different widths of collar member may be employed to form housings of different sizes.

5 Claims, 3 Drawing; Figures HOUSINGS This invention relates to housings serving as substantially closed cases for a coil or reel of tape or the like which is operatively extended and rewound by way of a mouth defined by the housing. The invention has particular but not exclusive application to a housing forming a case for a flexible tape measure.

The object of the invention is to provide a housing construction which is easy and inexpensive to produce and assemble, and which is serviceable, neat and of pleasing appearance. A subsidiary object is the provision of a method of construction of housings of a range of sizes utilizing largely standardized components.

According to the invention a housing for a reel carrying a flexible elongate element, comprising a pair of substantially uniform side members provided with formations on which the reel is operatively journalled; is characterised by a collar member attached between and spacing apart the side members and defining, alone or in combination with edge portions of said side members, a mouth through which the elongate element can be withdrawn or rewound.

In one form of the invention the side members are flat or dished discs and the collar member is circular, so forming a drum-shaped housing; but it is comtemplated that housings of other shapes, e.g., rectangular, may be provided by the invention. A preferred embodiment of the invention is now more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side view, part sectioned, of a drumshaped case for a flexible tape measure.

FIG. 2 is a peripheral elevation of said case, and

FIG. 3 is a diametrical sectional view on line 3-3 of FIG. 1.

The ease includes a pair of identical side members each comprising a dished metal pressing in the form of an annular disc 11 having a central aperture 12 which receives a plastics bearing insert 13 providing a formation for journalling a reel (not shown) carrying the coil of tape in the finished assembly.

The periphery of each disc 11 has an axially extending flange 14 (FIG. 3) edged by a lip 15 which projects radially outwards.

Each side member 10 further comprises a side ring 16 formed as a plastics moulding which fits in surrounding relationship to the respective flange 14 and butts axially onto the associated lip 15. Side rings 16 extend radially beyond lips 15 for abutment with a collar member 17 referred to hereafter.

One angular part of each side ring 16 is partly cut away in an axial direction to define part of a mouth 18 of the assembly in manner hereinafter referred to, and each ring includes a pair of pins 19 (FIG. 1) moulded integrally therewith located in said cut away part for journalling two parallel hollow guide rollers 21) at opposite sides of mouth 18.

The remaining part of the housing assembly is the collar member 17, also a synthetic plastics moulding, in the form of an almost complete ring of substantially the same diameter as side rings 16. The inside diameter of member 17 is equivalent to the inside diameter of flanges 14 of the side members and member 17 is rebated to accomodate radial lips 15. The casing is assembled by aligning side members 10 in abutment with collar member 17 with the reel of tape journalled in the bearing inserts 13. The gap in member 17 is aligned with the cut away parts of side rings 16 so that, in assembled relationship, these components define the rectangular mouth 18 in the peripheral wall of the drum-like casing so formed. On assembly the guide rollers 20 are located on the pins 19 so that they lie on either side of a flight of the tape passing through mouth 18 and are freely rotatable about axes parallel with each other and with the reel axis.

Finally, with the parts in the above relationship, side rings 16 are fastened to the collar member 17 to form a rigid assembly. The butt joints at the two radial interfaces may be provided with rebate or tongue and groove formations 21 (FIG. 3). The assembly may be secured by use of adhesives or by ultrasonic, fusion, solvent or other welding processes. It will be apparent that other securing methods may be employed, e.g., screws, rivits, or circlips or other securing bands.

With rings 16 so secured discs 11 are rigidly located and the whole assembly forms a durable casing of neat appearance, which may be enhanced by using contrastingly coloured materials for the plastics components. The assembly process is simple and speedy, and the components are cheap and easy to produce. No separate moulding or pressing is needed to define a mouth in the casing. Moreover, standard side member components (pressed metal disc and side rings) can be used to form casings for tapes of various widths, the axial dimension of the casing being varied to suit the type of tape by the substitution of a wider or narrower collar member. Thus a range of stock sizes of easing can be readily provided with a minimum of different components, again reducing expense.

We claim:

1. A housing for a reel carrying a flexible elongate element comprising a pair of substantially uniform side members provided with formations on which the reel is operatively journalled; characterised by a collar member attached between and spacing apart the side members and defining, in combination with edge portions of said side members, a mouth through which the elongate element can be withdrawn or rewound, said side members being discs and the collar member being circular so as to form a drum-shaped housing, and each side member comprising a dished element whose periphery has an axially extending flange edged by a radially outwardly projecting lip, and a side ring fitting around said flange for attachment to the collar member.

2. A housing according to claim 1 characterised in that the side rings and the collar member are formed from synthetic plastics materials.

3. A housing according to claim 1 characterised in that each side member further includes a bearing insert located in a central aperture thereof forjournalling the reel.

4. A housing according to claim 1 characterised in that the side members include formations mounting a pair of spaced parallel guide rollers in the mouth.

5. A housing according to claim 3 wherein said dished side elements are metal pressings and said collar, said side rings and said bearing inserts are each integral synthetic plastic elements. 

1. A housing for a reel carrying a flexible elongate element comprising a pair of substantially uniform side members provided with formations on which the reel is operatively journalled; characterised by a collar member attached between and spacing apart the side members and defining, in combination with edge portions of said side members, a mouth through which the elongate element can be withdrawn or rewound, said side members being discs and the collar member being circular so as to form a drumshaped housing, and each side member comprising a dished element whose periphery has an axially extending flange edged by a radially outwardly projecting lip, and a side ring fitting around said flange for attachment to the collar member.
 2. A housing according to claim 1 characterised in that the side rings and the collar member are formed from synthetic plastics materials.
 3. A housing according to claim 1 characterised in that each side member further includes a bearing insert located in a central aperture thereof for journalling the reel.
 4. A housing according to claim 1 characterised in that the side members include formations mounting a pair of spaced parallel guide rollers in the mouth.
 5. A housing according to claim 3 wherein said dished side elements are metal pressings and said collar, said side rings and said bearing inserts are each integral synthetic plastic elements. 